Internal combustion engine



June 22, 1965 F. R. PETERSON 3,190,270

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 13, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR.

Frederick RrPeferson BY%L% 2W AHYs.

June 22, 1965 F. R. PETERSON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE 6 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Aug. 13, 1962 INVENTOR. Frederic k R Pefersofl BYfl Arms.

June 22, 1965 F. R. PETERSON 3,190,270

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 15, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR.

Frederick P. Peferson BZVW kw AHY5.

u 1955 F. R. PETERSON 3, 7

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 13, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 67 E 1069 68 A 79 I f ll 4 7O 76 /2 H 1N VENTOR.

Frederick R Peferson Arrrs.

6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 15, 1962 mvmon. Frederick R. Pclerson BY QMF/W' .Afrrs.

June 22, 1965 F. R. PETERSON 3,190,270

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed Aug. 13, 1962 6 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR. fieo'en'c/r R Pefersou BY Ma 1% Oflys.

3,190,270 INTERNAL CUMBUSTIGN ENGINE Frederick R. Peterson, W. 1414Maiion, Spokane, Wash. Filed Aug. 13, I962, Ser. No. 216,367 9 Claims.(Cl. 123-18} My invention is directed to an improved twin cycle internalcombustion engine. One purpose of my invention is to provide such anengine wherein two pistons are connected together to rock as one unitabout a central axis and cooperate with a cylinder to fire alternatelyand use the power stroke of one piston to effect the exhaust stroke ofthe other piston and at the same time, to mix and compress the next fuelcharge for the first piston.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a two piston-cylinderconstruction wherein the two pistons oscillate within the cylinder onthe axis of the cylinder and the flow of the explosive fuel-air mixtureto the explosion chamber is through end plates that close the ends ofthe cylinder.

A further purpose of the invention is to provide an engine having thecharacteristics referred to in the preceding paragraph with meanswhereby the explosion stroke compresses the next fuel-air charge, andthe piston is so shaped as to direct the charge into the explosionchamber away from the exhaust parts so the explosion chamber isefficiently cleared of spent gas with a minimum loss of unburned fuel.

The purposes and advantages of the invention will appear more fully fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings illustrating apreferred form of the invention. The drawings and description areillustrative only, however, and are not intended to limit the inventionexcept insofar as it is limited by the claim.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an end view of the engine;

FIGURE 2 is an end view similar to FIGURE 1, but looking at the otherend of the engine with parts of the housing broken away;

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the engine cylinder and base only, with thenearest end plate removed, the direction of the view being the same asin FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a plan sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view on the line 55 of FIGURE 4 with partsremoved;

FIGURE 6 is an interior face View of one end plate of the cylinder;

FIGURE 7 is an interior face view of the other end plate of thecylinder;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-3 of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken subtantially along theline 99 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale showingthe details of the sealing means used; and

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view on the line lll1l ofFIGURE 3.

Referring now to the drawings, my engine embodies a casing or cylinder 1with a base 2 that bolts to a base frame 3. An oil pan 4 is bolted tothe frame 3. The casing 1 has a cylindrical inner surface and is closedat its ends by end plates 5 and 6 that will be described more in detaillater. A piston unit comprises a hollow shaft 7 and two pistons 8 and 9.One end of the shaft 7 is journalled in the end plate 5 and the otherend thereof extends through the end plate 6. A drive arm 10 is fixed tothe projecting portion 7a of the shaft 7. The arm 10 has its outer endpivotally connected to a connecting rod 11 which extends to the offsetportion 12 of a crank shaft United States Patent 0 M v 3,196,270Patented June 22, 1965 14. The shaft '7 is rocked to and fro as will belater explained and the arm 10 is of such length that the rocking strokeof the arm It) in one direction will turn the crank shaft 14 a halfturn. The crank shaft 14 has a drive gear 13 thereon driving adistributor shaft 15 for the distributor 16. The crank shaft also hascam means 17 for actuating push rods 13 and 19 that open two fuel inletvalves 30.

A top block 20 and a bottom block 21 are fitted within the cylinder. Theblock 20 has its corners recessed at 22 and 23 to form two pockets. Twospark plugs 24 and 25 are mounted in the cylinder 1 to project intothese pockets.

Fuel as a combustible gas is obtained in any conventional manner, suchas by mixing air and gasoline from a carburetor C. This fuel isintroduced from a fuel inlet manifold 26 in the lower block 21 to twovalve units 27 and 22%. The valve units are mirror images of each other.Each unit comprises a shell 29 that is fastened to the block 21.Opposite the block 21 this shell has a valve seat 31 for a valve 3%.This valve has a stem 32 extending into the shell through a spring 33and against one of the push rods 18 or 19, which are slidably mounted inthe block 21. The stem 32 has a spring cup 34 at its lower end so thatthe spring 33 keeps the valve 3% closed except when it is raised by thepush rod.

The piston 8 and 9 are provided with recesses 8a and into which thevalve units 27 and 28 project when the pistons are in their lowermostpositions. For access to the springs 33 each shell 29 has one side 29aremovable.

The end plate 5 has a chamber 50 therein which opens into the spacebetween the block 21 and the piston 3 through passages 35 in the innerwall of the plate 5. This Wall also has outlet passages 36 that openinto the space 81) above the piston 8 when the piston 8 is in its lowerposition. The end plate 5 has a chamber 5b similar to the chamber 521.The chamber 512 opens into the space between the block 21 and the piston9 through the passages 37. There are outlet passages 38 that open fromthe chamber 5b into the space 91) above the piston 9 when this piston isin its lowermost position.

Each of the valve units 27 and 28 has its valve 31) raised when therespective piston 8 or 9 is moving upward so that a charge of fuel isdrawn into the recess 8a or 9:1 as the piston having that recess movesup Then before the piston moves down, the corresponding valve 30 closesso that the fuel charges just drawn in is compressed as the piston movesdown. There will be some residual fuel left in the space around thevalve units and in the chambers 5a and 5b when the passages 36 and 33are closed by upward movement of the respective pistons 8 and 9. Thisresidual fuel is mixed with the next charge drawn in. Thus good mixingand preheating of the fuel charge is obtained.

The end plate 6 has exhaust ports 40 therein which open from the firingchamber or space 8b into a passage 41 in the plate 6. This passage 41leads to the periphery of the plate 6 where an exhaust gas tube 42 isattached. The plate 61 also has exhaust ports 43 which open from thefiring chamber 9b into a passage 44 in the plate 6. This passage 44-leads to the periphery of the plate 6 Where another exhaust gas tube 45is attached. The exhaust tubes 42 and 45 are joined to provide oneexhaust gas outlet pipe 64 for the engine. This outlet pipe 46 may leadto a conventional muffler (not shown) if desired. The end plate 6 alsohas a passage 60 formed therein leading from the carburetor pipe P tothe intake manifold 26.

The sequence of operation is briefly as follows: Initial operation isbegun by rotating the crank shaft 14 to cause the rock shaft 7 to movethe pistons 8 and 9 to and fro. Initially this causes the pistonsalternately to draw in charges of fuel gas through their associatedvalve units and then to compress these charges and force them into therespective firing chambers 8b and 9b and finally to As each pistontravels down, it first uncovers its exhaust ports 40 and 43 and thenuncovers its fuel charge passages :36 or 38 so that the compressedfuelcharge can flow into the firing chambers and pushthe exhaust gasesout. To facilitate this action I provide ribs 47 and 48 on the topso-fthe pistons 8 and 9 to deflect the incoming gaseous fuel upward and keepit from flowing.

directly across the firing chamber to the exhaust ports 40 and 43. Thefaces of-the block are recessed to receive the ribs 47 and 48. r i

The pistons 8 and 9 are on a common hub "49 that is aflixed to the shaft7. Sealing around the pistons 8 and 9 and their hub49 is accomplished byfour sealing strips 50in the outer face'of each piston and springs 51beneath. if the strips (see FIG. 10). These strips are pressed againstthe inner face of the cylinder. Similar strips 52 backed by springs 53are interposed between the end plates 5 and 6 and the side faces of. thepistons 8 "and 9. The

blocks 20 and 21 also carrysealing strips 54, 55 and,

56. Because ofthe scale the springs backing up the'strips p are notshown in the' main figures. However, the construction in the case ofeach of the .strips 50, 52, 54, 55 and 56 is that shown in FIGURE 10.With this arrangement shown it is possible to force lubricant through asuitable aperture .57 in the end plate Sand a similar 1 aperture 58 inthe end plate 6 and through similar apertures not shown in the blocks 20and 21 to lubricate the bearing surfaces between the pistons and thestationary seals, this gas is arrested and forced back into thecombustion chamber and kept out of the crankcase.

My invention provides a two cycle type of internal combustion enginewith the following advantages:

(1) A push and a pull on the connecting rod due to the fact thatalternate firing depresses first one piston With my engine constructionI obtain easy accessibility to all the parts. Removal of the end plate 5provides access to all the chambers and the valves so they may beinspected. The valve units can be replaced in their entirety with ease.Each piston is moved down by explosion above it and is returned byforcetransmitted through the hub 49 from the other piston. Where direct driverocking motion is desired it-canbe obtained from the shaft 7.

I prefer to air cool the engine. For this purpose the.

blocks 20 and 2*1'are hollow so air can flow through them. -A shell 57is mounted about the cylinder and secured thereto by screws 58 in bosses59 on the cylinder 1. A fan 60 is mounted in spaced relation to the endplate 5 and coaxial with the shaft 7. This fan is driven by pulleys 61and 62 and a belt 63. A conventional generator 64 is also driven by apulley 65 and the belt 63. The pulley 61 is on the crank shaft 14.

The shaft portion 7a is supported by an internal bearing 66 on an endwall'67 at the back end of the base 2. The end wall 67, two curved sidewalls 68 and 69 and a partition wall 70 adjacent to the end plate 6,form a crank shaft well which has a removable cover 71. The hollow shaft7 is thus supported internally by the bearing 66 and the drive arm 10 isclamped'on the outside of the shaft 7 in such a way as to cut down thenecessary overall length of the shaft 7.; The hollow shaft-7 also servesto receive the bear-ing 72 for the shaft 73 of the fan 66, the bearing72havinga flange 74 that bolts to the end plate 5. The partition wall 70is clamped tothe end plate 6 by a threaded portion 75 on the plate 6 anda nut 76. a r

It is believed that the nature of my invention will be clear from theforegoing description and the drawings.

Having'described my invention, I claim:

1.' In an internal combustion engine:

a rock shaft having fixed thereon piston members projecting outwardlyfrom the shaft and away from each other;

a casing surrounding the pistons and providing chambers in whiclrthepistons oscillate about the axis of the shaft; a

a valvedi-ntake passage into each chamber below its piston for admittinggas for combustion;

a device in each chamber above each piston for igniting a gaseous fuelcharge therein;

said casing having by-passes therein for conducting gas admitted beloweach piston around the piston into the respective chamber above thepiston when the piston isat the low point of its oscillation in thechamber;

said casing having exhaust passages therein for conducting the gases ofcombustion out of the chambers; and

each valved intake passage being through a valve seat unit that projectsinto the respective chamber, the pistons being recessed intheir lowerfaces-to receive the valve seat units.

2. In an internal combustion engine:

a rock shaft having fixed thereon piston members projecting outwardlyfrom the shaft and away from each other; i 7

a casing surrounding the pistons and providing chambers in which the.pistons oscillate aboutthe axis of the shaft; a valved intake passageinto each chamber below its d piston for admitting. gas for combustion;a device in each chamber above each piston for igniting a gaseousfuelcharge therein; said casing having .by-passes therein for conductinggas admitted below each piston around the piston into the respectivechamber above the piston when the piston is at the low point of itsoscillation in the chamber; p a said casing having exhaust passagestherein for conducting the gases of combustion out of the chambers; andsaid casing comprising a shell encircling said shaft and 'a pair of endplates closing the shell and having bearings therein for said shaft,said by-passes being in one of the end platesand the exhaust passagesbeing in the other end plate. "3.1m an internal combustion engine:

a rock shafth-aving fixed thereon a pair of oppositely directed pistonmembers projecting radially from the shaft; I V d a casing surroundingthe pistons and having upper and lower partitionmeans dividing-the spacebetween the shaft and said casing into quadrant shaped chambers .inwhich the pistons oscillate about the axis of the shaft; i a valve unitin the lower portionof each chamber rineluding a spring closed valve; Q

push rods extending through the lower partition means for opening saidvalves;

a device in each chamber above each piston for igniting a gaseous fuelcharge therein;

said casing having by-pass passages therein for conducting gas frombelow the pistons into the chambers above the pistons when the pistonsare in their lowermost positions in their respective chambers;

said casing also having exhaust passages opening from the chambersoutward at a level to be uncovered in the downward movement of therespective piston just prior to its reaching its lowermost position;

the outlets of the by-pass passages being on the opposite side of thechamber from the exhaust passages.

4. The device defined in claim 3 wherein the pistons have on their upperfaces deflections operable to deflect the incoming gases upwardlywhereby to force exhaust gases in the upper parts of the chambers downtoward the exhaust passages.

5. The device defined in claim 3 wherein the pistons have grooves alongtheir side faces and outer faces and spring-backed sealing bars areseated in said grooves and bear against the chamber walls.

6. The device defined in claim 3 wherein the casing is a shell having -acylindrical interior surface, and a pair of end plates closing the endsof the shell and having bearings therein for said shaft;

and the partion means comprises blocks removably secured to the shelland the end plates and carrying the valve units.

'7. The device defined in claim 3 wherein each valve unit projects intothe respective chamber and wherein the pistons are recessed in theirlower faces to receive the valve units.

8. In an internal combustion engine:

shaft means having fixed thereon piston members projecting outwardlyfrom the shaft and away from each other;

a casing surrounding the pistons and dividing chambers within which thepistons oscillate about the axis of said shaft means;

a valved intake passage into each chamber below its piston for admittinggas for combustion, said valved intake passage being through a valveseat unit that projects into the respective chamber, the pistons beingrecessed in their lower faces to receive the valve seat units;

means in each chamber above each piston adapted to ignite a gaseous fuelcharge therein;

said casing having bypasses therein selectively opened and sealed by theposition of each piston relative to the casing, said bypasses beingadapted to intermittently conduct gas from below each piston into therespective chamber above the piston;

said casing having exhaust passages therein for conducting the gases ofcombustion from the chambers above said pistons after ignition.

9. The device defined in claim 8 wherein the exterior walls of saidvalve seat unit are complementary to the interior recess of the pistonwithin which it is received so as to allow gases admitted through saidvalve seat unit to be compressed by downward movement of the piston overthe valve seat unit.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 902,450 10/08Remick 12318 988,704 4/11 Goodrich 123-18 1,037,094 8/12 Williams 123181,069,936 8/13 Frank 12318 FOREIGN PATENTS 456,808 3/36 Great Britain.1,241,862 8/59 France.

RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

1. IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE: A ROCK SHAFT HAVING FIXED THEREONPISTON MEMBERS PROJECTING OUTWARDLY FROM THE SHAFT AND AWAY FROM EACHOTHER; A CASING SURROUNDING THE PISTONS AND PROVIDING CHAMBERS IN WHICHTHE PISTONS OSCILLATE ABOUT THE AXIS OF THE SHAFT; A VALVED INTAKEPASSAGE INTO EACH CHAMBER BELOW ITS PISTON FOR ADMITTING GAS FORCOMBUSTION; A DEVICE IN EACH CHAMBER ABOVE EACH PISTON FOR IGNITING AGASEOUS FUEL CHARGE THEREIN; SAID CASING HAVING BY-PASSES THEREIN FORCONDUCTING GAS ADMITTED BELOW EACH PISTON AROUND THE PISTON INTO THERESPECTIVE CHAMBER ABOVE THE PISTON WHEN